The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-01-29
ON THE WRONG SCENT.
Hort Scott Aioni;or.l

In order 10 put TO the test he state
ments made in the article published in
the Globe Democrat of January 10 and
repub!ishrd Yesterday by the .vening
Tribune, 4 reporter OF The Monitor
started out last night upon Il search for
General Rice, president of ,he New
Orieaps, Natchez & Fort Scott railroad,
whom he found at his residence, where
he has been confined for five days past
by severe attack of jnfiammatory
sore throat.
TIE General was got very anxious to
be interviewed, as he has never sought
- heef, his scheme in the newspapers.
The reporter, after explaining the
ohjec: of his visit, asked:
"What about this article in the
Globe Democrat Is it true that Mr..
Gould has control of the Kansas, Me-
| braska d Dakota road, and that he
proposes to take hold of the building
of the New Orleans, Natchcz & Fort
Scott railroad gu
$50 far as the Kansas, Nebraska l.
| Dakota road is concerned,'' said the
General, 81 know nothing about Mr..
Goutd's connection with it, and dunot
believe he has any. l know the
officials of that road denounce the
whole story as a falsehood. In regard
to the scheme south, Mr.. Gould has
nothing to do with it, in any mans
ner, shape or FORM"
"Do Mr.. Gould's Arkansas pur-
chases cut any figure in the matter gu
81 don,'t understand how they
could. Our projected line is by way
Of Hot Springs, and on the most direct
line possible to Hamburg. Arkansas,
which is from sixty to eighty miles west
of the line OF Mr.. Gouid's road
s'Then Colone! Bush is not in Arkan-
sas at present, is he ?''
"Colonel Bush is not in Arkansas.
Finding that l was sick, and unable
to start TO Natchez with him last
Thursday, he took short run to
Philadelphia until 1 recuperated."
"Have you any objections to stating
how the New Orleans, Natchez G. Fort
Scott road originated, when, and by
whom :'
"The idea of such a road-a direc:
trunk line from New Orleans to Kan
sas-origina!ed with railroad COM
; mittec in Monroe, Louisiana, in 1882.
a copy of a circular issued by this
committee fell into my hands early in
, 1854, and, being southern man. and
having had in times past some per-
sonal acquaintance with that region
; OF country, it attracted my attention.
1t soon struck me forcibly, that such II
: trunk railroad would be the grandest
, raiiroad scheme of the age, uniting the
great northwest with the south and
New Orleans, and l at once went to
work to bring about the construction
= OF such a road, if possible"
y "Have you then been giving it your
! personal attention?'
. 81 have: I am as we'll acquainted
with very large portion of this route,
and the country contiguous thereto, as
am with any township in Bourbon
!, county. After Colonel Bush and his
q colleagues came to Fort Scott to build
t the Kansas, Nebraska & Dakota road
n from Fort Scott to Topeka and north.
@ west, ] laid ali the facts of this pro-
ject before Colonel Bush aud sought
his aid in bringing to consumnation
the idea Of building this road.'
: "Is any work being done upon This
= line of road now :'
g "Ies, sir i; full corps Of engineers
5 is in Mcdonald county, locating the
c read from the Arkansas stat. lire
n north, and heavy force Of graders is
/. there at work.
"Why have you gone down there TO
commence work ia the wood ~
"For the very reason tina, it is, as
you say, a wooded country. by CON-
: ,nencins there and building north, an
: inexhaustible supply of timber for ties
and bridge building is constantly at
- our disposal, and we can carry it north,
{ over our own road, as the work pre-.
+ crosses. We are guaranteed the right
: Of way through McDuuald and New.
> ton counties, Missouri"
"General, how much money in sub
7. sides, and how much right Of way
have you personally secured on this
rOule?'
:, Il have guarantees of free right OF
= way for about Goo miles, or six-sevenths
OF the entire route, and in bonds, taxes
{ voted, and timber lands l have now
- legally secured over $2,5OO,O00 while
as much more is promised, and can be
. secured
- "What is the character of the coun.
try through which your line generally
ruus?'
"The entire I!Oe, as pre- ipcted, runs
from the Arkansas state iiue in an al
4 most direct sou,heasterly direction to
Il New Orleans, through country of vast
" latent wealth, There is not "A tract q